Rochester teachers continue push for contract settlements

ROCHESTER >> Members of the Rochester Education Association, one of the largest teachers’ unions in Oakland County, will meet Friday, Dec. 6, with the Rochester Community Schools to continue negotiations on contract settlements.

For months, some from the 947-member union have been picketing outside schools prior to their start time and have been voicing their concerns at school board meetings.

A spokesperson for the school district said neither party has openly disclosed what specific points have led to the stalemate.

“They have kept the negotiating at the table,” said Debra Hartman, spokeswoman for Rochester Community Schools.

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On Thursday, teachers were picketing outside of Brooklands Elementary School at 490 E. Auburn Road in Rochester Hills before its start time, Hartman said.

Their one-year contract expired in August.

Negotiating teams representing the union and the school district have been meeting regularly on a mutually agreed upon schedule since May, Hartman said.

To date, they have met 22 times.

The major issues for Rochester teachers continue to be working conditions, salary and benefits, said Doug Hill, president of the Rochester Education Association.

“Those are the three biggies,” he said.

The union’s president said some of the concerns have been resolved, while others haven’t, declining to provide further details.

“We continue to collectively bargain and the goal is to get a settlement sooner rather than later for all parties,” Hill said.

The union president said the next scheduled bargaining agreement is for 9 a.m. Friday.

“I think there’s certainly a sense of urgency from both sides,” Hill said. “We’re making progress.”

About the Author

Ryan Felton is a staff writer at The Oakland Press who covers Rochester, Rochester Hills, Oakland Township, transportation and technology. Blogging about Detroit at detroit.jalopnik.com. Reach the author at ryan.felton@oakpress.com
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